Wall-To-Bed Mass Transfer in an Inverse Fluidized Bed

Abstract

Mass transfer coefficient data were obtained in an inverse fluidized bed electrochemical reactor between a flowing fluid electrolyte and inner column wall of the reactor.  Polypropylene particles of cylindrical shape having a density of 877.6 kg/m3 were used as bed material.  From this study it was noticed that there was no radial variation of mass transfer coefficient.  Mass transfer coefficient was found to decrease with liquid velocity and reached a minimum and remained constant.  When analyzed in the lines of Richardson and Zaki, the bed porosity yielded an exponent of 1.206.  An important correlation was obtained for predicting mass transfer coefficient in terms of Colburn j-factor and particle Reynolds number and bed porosity.

Keywords; Fluidization, inverse fluidization, limiting current, mass transfer coefficient, wall-to-bed mass transfer